Managing multiple relationships in rural communities: Neutrality and boundary violations.

Abstract

Mental health practitioners in rural settings have identified managing multiple relationships as their most difficult ethical dilemma (e.g., Sleek, 1994). Further, they have indicated that specific suggestions for negotiating this difficulty are rare (Stockman, 1990). This article reviews the current status of the literature addressing the management of multiple relationships in rural communities, and proposes that the psychodynamlc concept of neutrality and empirically determined therapy boundary violations provide a useful way to conceptualize managing multiple relationships in rural communities. Guidelines are provided for regulating behavior with both clients and other members of the community who are considered “prospective” clients.